LAHORE – Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif has said that the Saaf Pani project is of vital importance and is being completed on priority to provide clean drinking water to the citizens of the province.

He was presiding over a meeting to review the pace of the project here. Shahbaz said that implementation of the Saaf Pani project would also remove disparity between rich and the poor as the elite was drinking mineral water while the common man was deprived of even potable water.

He said that people could be saved from diseases through supply of clean drinking water. He said that the provision of safe drinking water was the responsibility of the state and the government would discharge its obligation at any cost. The target of provision of potable water to every citizen of the province till 2018 had been set and no effort would be spared for its achievement, he said.

The chief minister said that water filtration plants would be installed throughout the province under this project. Therefore, he said this important project would be executed as a national responsibility. He directed the authorities concerned that best professional consultants be selected for the project and a comprehensive planning be made for the implementation of the water supply schemes in a coordinated manner.